Written Answers Monday 12 June 2006

Scottish Executive

Air Services

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will increase the discount on air fares which it offers to residents of the Highlands and Islands through the Aid of Social Character scheme from 40% to 50%, as permitted by the European Commission.

Tavish Scott: The Air Discount Scheme (Aid of a Social Character Scheme) notified to the European Commission allows the Scottish Executive to offer a discount of up to 50% on the core air fare on eligible routes. This gives the Scottish Executive the flexibility, within the available budget, to raise the discount up to that level at a future date.

Air Services

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider allowing flights from the Highlands and Islands involving discounts through the Aid of Social Character scheme to be used with onward connecting flights, thereby allowing residents of the Highlands and Islands more affordable access to other areas of the United Kingdom.

Tavish Scott: The primary objective of the Air Discount Scheme is to facilitate greater social inclusion in the most peripheral areas of the Highlands and Islands through affordable access to air services to the main economic and administrative centres of Scotland. Arrangements for booking onward connecting flights are a matter for participating airlines where of course there is considerable consumer choice both in terms of airline; destination and fares.

Air Services

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why residents of the Highlands and Islands will not be able to use the Aid of Social Character scheme when travelling via one of the four main Scottish airports to other parts of the United Kingdom.

Tavish Scott: The primary objective of the Air Discount Scheme is to facilitate greater social inclusion in the most peripheral areas of the Highlands and Islands through affordable access to air services to the main economic and administrative centres of Scotland. Passengers travelling from the main Scottish airports to other parts of the United Kingdom already have a great range of fares, destinations and competing airlines.

Air Services

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to extend the Aid of Social Character scheme offering discounted flights to Highlands and Islands residents beyond 2008.

Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive will monitor the effectiveness of the Air Discount Scheme and will in due course decide, within the available funding, whether to re-notify the scheme, or a revised scheme, to the European Commission.

Air Services

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on what date residents of the Highlands and Islands will first be able to travel using discounted air fares under the Aid of Social Character scheme.

Tavish Scott: Residents of peripheral and remote communities in the Highlands and Islands have had access to discounted air fares under the Air Discount Scheme since 18 May 2006.

Ambulance Service

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring it undertakes of the impact on response times of undisturbed meal breaks in the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Mr Andy Kerr: This is an operational matter for the Scottish Ambulance Service in the first instance. The Ambulance Service’s emergency medical dispatch centres monitor the situation to ensure that meal breaks are managed and cover is provided at all times. This is done through a variety of means including the use of tactical deployment to ensure that, where a crew is on a meal break, a crew from a neighbouring location is moved into the area to maintain cover; satellite tracking systems ensure the ambulance service does this accurately. Systems are also used to assist in ensuring that staff are afforded their breaks at appropriate times.

Ambulance Service

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any occasions on which human life has been threatened by lengthy response times when the nearest ambulance crew has been booked off duty on an undisturbed meal break.

Mr Andy Kerr: I am not aware of any occasions.

  I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-26527 on 12 June 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Ambulance Service

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with the operation of the undisturbed meal break policy in the Scottish Ambulance Service and whether it has any plans to revise the policy.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Ambulance Service is following the terms and conditions set out in Agenda for Change by implementing undisturbed meal breaks. There are no plans to change this policy.

Angling

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive who is responsible for river management on the Border Esk.

Rhona Brankin: The Environment Agency have responsibility for fisheries management on the Border Esk.

Angling

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what jurisdiction the Environment Agency has to impose rod licences on anglers fishing the Border Esk.

Rhona Brankin: The Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975 places an obligation on the Environment Agency for the rod licensing system which applies to the Esk including that part which is situated in Scotland.

Angling

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the status is of any informal agreement between it and the UK Government regarding the management of rivers on the border between Scotland and England.

Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive has no informal agreement with the UK Government with regard to the management of the Border Rivers. Management of the two rivers is governed by statute. However, as a matter of good practice the Environment Agency and the Executive keep each other informed of management initiatives on both of the rivers.

Angling

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what was contained in any informal agreement regarding the management of rivers on the border between Scotland and England between it and the UK Government which specifically concerned rod licences.

Rhona Brankin: There is no informal agreement between The Scottish Executive and the UK Government with regard to rod licences.

Angling

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to change the current system with regard to rod licences for rivers on the border between Scotland and England.

Rhona Brankin: There are no plans to change the current system as it is entirely a matter for the UK Parliament.

Angling

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Environment Agency in respect of any plans to undertake an independent assessment of alternatives to the rod licence as a means of funding the management of rivers.

Rhona Brankin: There have been no discussions between the Scottish Executive and the Environment Agency regarding the funding of riverine management.

Angling

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the cost of purchasing a rod licence to fish in the River Esk.

Rhona Brankin: The Environment Agency website, http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk , lists the cost of purchasing a rod licence for all rivers that they have responsibility for as follows;

  

 
Non-Migratory Fish
Salmon and Sea Trout


Full Season
£24
£65.00


Junior
£5
£32.50


8-day
£8.50
£20.50


1-day
£3.25
£6.75



  Young people under 12 years old do not require a licence. There are also concessionary licences available for Blue Badge holders and people aged 65 and over.

Dentistry

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients it estimates will be treated at each dental facility over the next three years.

Lewis Macdonald: This information is not held centrally, but early estimates indicate that these centres could offer services to upwards of 200,000 patients across Scotland.

Economy

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions its officials have met to discuss the possible impact of fiscal autonomy, financial independence or full fiscal power in each year since 1999.

Mr Tom McCabe: This information is not held centrally.

Economy

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the information it holds on the benefits of fiscal autonomy, financial independence and full fiscal power as referred to in its Brix note, Fiscal Autonomy, Financial Independence, Full Fiscal Power .

Mr Tom McCabe: A decision not to publish the information is currently subject to review under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

Employment

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its employability framework.

Allan Wilson: I am pleased to announce the publication today of Workforce Plus; an Employability Framework for Scotland.  The framework asserts the Executive’s belief that, for most people and their families, work is the surest way of raising and sustaining people out of poverty, and that we must help everyone in Scotland to contribute to a fairer and more productive society.

  Workforce Plus sets out our approach, working with the UK Government, to both the national leadership and the local action needed to help more disadvantaged people both to prepare for work, and to gain and progress in employment. We are setting a headline target of helping 66,000 people move from benefits to employment by 2010. This is based on locally agreed targets set by seven local authority areas where the levels of worklessness and disadvantage are highest.

  Workforce Plus has been developed on the basis of the evidence and views gathered during an extensive consultation process during 2005. We will support our target employability areas with £11 million from the Closing the Opportunity Gap Fund between now and 2007-08.

  Copies have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 39800).

Ferry Services

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will take to fulfil its commitment to uphold the terms and conditions of Clyde and Hebrides lifeline ferry services’ workers by ensuring that the tender specification does not allow the establishment of a two-tier workforce.

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will uphold its commitment to protect existing workers employed on the Clyde and Hebrides lifeline ferry services by guaranteeing job security to existing employees irrespective of who is awarded the contract.

Tavish Scott: We attach great importance to the future of CalMac staff should another operator be successful in its bid. We will do everything we can, within EU and domestic legislation, to secure the continued employment of those staff and the protection of their terms and conditions, and pension rights. We will ensure that the protection available to CalMac employees is as robust as possible.

  We consider that Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) is very likely to apply to any transferring employees as a consequence of the tendering of the Clyde and Hebrides ferry service. Transferring employees would be entitled to be employed on the same terms and conditions as they had at the point of transfer.

  In addition, the contract will include mechanisms for protecting the terms and conditions of the existing workforce during the contract period. We will include provisions in the contract that make it clear to bidders that, if the successful operator wished to cut staff costs, they would be responsible, from their own resources (i.e. outside the terms of the subsidy arrangements) for the cost of any redundancies or compensation involved. In addition, any in year savings in staff costs that arose would be taken into account in the annual profit claw back and would produce an equivalent reduction in subsidy in subsequent years through the budget restatement process. This should create a major disincentive to any operator considering reducing the terms and conditions of existing staff or replacing the existing staff with lower paid personnel.

Ferry Services

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will uphold its commitment to protect existing workers employed on the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services by including trades union recognition in the tender specification.

Tavish Scott: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-21352 on 16 December 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facility for which can be at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Fisheries

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it or any of its agencies has the ability to receive and react to information that might come from fisheries protection or other vessels operating in its own or its Exclusive European Zone waters.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency (SFPA) has the ability to receive information from its own and other Fishery Protection vessels and fishing vessels operating either in Scottish waters or, in the case of fishing vessels registered in Scotland, operating worldwide. It reacts to such information on a case-by-case basis.

Football

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the participation levels have been in (a) girls’ football in schools, (b) girls’ club football and (c) women’s club football in each year since 1999.

Patricia Ferguson: The participation levels for girls’ school and club football since 1999 are shown in the following tables. These statistics are taken from the Scottish Omnibus Survey.

  Participation in Football in a School Context (at Least Once in the Previous Four Weeks): Girls and Boys Aged 8 to 15, 1998-2000 to 2003-05

  

 
 Girls
 Boys


 Percentage of Respondents


 1998-2000
 8
 19


 1999-2001
 8
 18


 2000-02
 8
 18


 2001-03
 8
 18


 2002-04
 10
 19


 2003-05
 11
 20



  Participation in Football in any Context (at Least Once in the Previous Four Weeks): Membership of a Club for Football, Girls and Boys Aged 8 to 15, 1998-2000 to 2003-05

  

 
 Girls
 Boys


 Percentage of Respondents


 1998-2000
 4
 22


 1999-2001
 3
 24


 2000-02
 3
 23


 2001-03
 3
 24


 2002-04
 4
 24


 2003-05
 3
 22



  Due to the small sample-sizes, accurate information on participation levels in women’s football is not held centrally but information is available from the Scottish Women’s Football Association.

Housing

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-25902 by Malcolm Chisholm on 30 May 2006, how many of the demolished buildings were considered to be structurally sound.

Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not held centrally.

Housing

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-26066 by Malcolm Chisholm on 31 May 2006, whether Dumfries and Galloway Council will receive any additional funding for (a) specific bids, (b) disabled adaptations or (c) care and repair in 2006-07 and what the reasons are for its position on additional funding in this financial year.

Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  In 2006-07 Dumfries and Galloway Council will get £2,252,000 of Private Sector Housing Grant funding to cover specific requirements including disabled adaptations and care and repair in line with the council’s priorities. It is not yet known whether additional funding will become available during the financial year.

Influenza

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the recommendations in the 2000 report by Dr Richard Simpson on influenza vaccination have been implemented.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive responded to the recommendations in the 2000 report by Dr Richard Simpson in December 2000. A copy of that response can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/committees/historic/health/papers-01/hep01-01.pdf .

Justice

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what correspondence it has had in respect of, and what difficulties have resulted from, implementing a more secure recording of licensed firearms.

Cathy Jamieson: The Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government at official and ministerial level, on this and other firearms issues. Section 39 of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 requires that a central firearms register is accessible to all police forces in Great Britain. A central Scottish database has been available to all Scottish forces since February 2006, but delays in establishing a database in England and Wales have prevented the development of an interface with Scotland. Work will continue with the Home Office to achieve full Section 39 compliance as soon as possible.

NHS Waiting Times

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive what the most common reason is for delay in achieving the four-hour target established for casualty and accident and emergency departments.

Mr Andy Kerr: The 2005 survey of waiting times showed that nine out of 10 patients who attended accident and emergency departments during the survey period were seen, treated and discharged, transferred or admitted to a ward within four hours. For those patients who waited longer than four hours the most common reason for delay was the wait for treatment.

  The Health Department, through the Centre for Change and Innovation, is supporting NHS boards to reduce waits and delays and improve patient experience which will ensure delivery of the four hour target across Scotland by the end of 2007.

Police

Ms Maureen Watt (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many incidences of violence against passengers in Scotland have been recorded by British Transport Police in each year since 1999.

Cathy Jamieson: Information on incidences of violence on the rail network in Scotland is available on the British Transport Police (BTP) website. The BTP statistical bulletins can be accessed at http://www.btp.police.uk/publications.htm .

Rendition Flights

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-24478 by Cathy Jamieson on 13 April 2006, what the nature has been of "other enquiries", rather than parliamentary questions, in respect of "extraordinary rendition".

Cathy Jamieson: Such other enquiries as we have received have mainly taken the form of official or ministerial correspondence or enquiries from the media, whose handling has naturally involved some internal discussion. There have also been two enquiries under freedom of information legislation asking about internal communications and correspondence relating to the topic of extraordinary rendition.

Rendition Flights

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-24679 by Cathy Jamieson on 24 April 2006, why it has not stated whether or not it believes it to be in the public interest that a definitive view should be established in respect of the legality of the process of "extraordinary rendition" in both Scots law and international law.

Cathy Jamieson: There is nothing I can usefully add to my answer to question S2W-24679 on 24 April 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Rendition Flights

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-24768 by Cathy Jamieson on 20 April 2006 and given that the way in which statements by politicians are reported is a matter for the media, whether it considers that the Sunday Mail coverage on 26 February 2006 of the Minister for Justice’s statement to the Labour Party’s Scottish conference regarding "extraordinary rendition" was misleading.

Cathy Jamieson: I have nothing to add to my answer to question S2W-24768 on 20 April 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Road Accidents

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the top five causes of road traffic accidents were where drivers have been at fault during the last 10 years; how many such accidents there have been, and what percentage of the total number of road traffic accidents this represents.

Tavish Scott: The information requested is not available.

  Data about injury road accidents are collected by the police and reported to the Scottish Executive using the Stats 19 statistical report form. Prior to 2005, these returns did not record any information about the causes of the accidents. However, with effect from 1 January 2005 a new set of questions about the factors which may have contributed to the occurrence of accidents was added to the Stats 19 returns.

  The new questions allow for Information about up to six "contributory factors" to be recorded for any personal injury accident which is reported either (a) following attendance at the scene by a police officer or (b) by a member of the public to police staff at a police station. These factors reflect the police officer’s view, at the time of making the report, of the key actions and failures that led to the accident. They are not necessarily the result of extensive investigation - indeed, subsequent enquiries may sometimes change the officer’s opinion. Therefore, the Stats 19 data will not establish conclusively whether a driver was "at fault" in the case of every accident.

  It is intended to include some analyses of the contributory factor data in Road Accidents Scotland 2005, which is scheduled to be published in November 2006.

Road Accidents

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many road traffic accidents have been caused by drivers smoking cigarettes at the time of the accident in the last 10 years and what percentage of the total number of road traffic accidents this represents.

Tavish Scott: The information requested is not available. Data about injury road accidents are collected by the police and reported to the Scottish Executive using the Stats 19 statistical report form, which does not identify those accidents which were caused by drivers smoking.

Roads

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive when members of the public and interested organisations will receive a direct response from the Minister for Transport and Telecommunications to their individual written representations and requests for information on how his decision was made about the route for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.

Tavish Scott: My officials have been supplying responses to such communications.

School Meals

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has powers to extend free school meals to all secondary school pupils and, if so, whether it can provide funding to do so.

Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive has powers to affect the criteria governing eligibility for free school meals but these powers do not extend to allowing provision of free school meals to all groups of school pupils.

  The Executive is concentrating on those most in need, including implementing measures to increase uptake of free school meals by those entitled to them and to remove stigma associated with free school meals.

Sex Trafficking

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions have been undertaken in relation to sex trafficking offences and how many have resulted in conviction since 1999.

Hugh Henry: To date, there have been no cases identified where a person has been proceeded against in relation to sex trafficking offences under section 22 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003. Prior to 2003, no specific sex-trafficking offence existed in Scots law.

Sex Trafficking

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has about how many women who have been rescued from trafficking in Scotland have subsequently been deported since 1999.

Hugh Henry: This information is not held centrally.

Sex Trafficking

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what provisions exist within legislation in relation to the victims of trafficking.

Hugh Henry: There are no specific legislative provisions relating to the victims of trafficking.

Sex Trafficking

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-26111 by Hugh Henry on 1 June 2006, whether the Executive intends to make representations to Her Majesty’s Government concerning it not signing up to the International Convention on Trafficking.

Hugh Henry: The Minister for Communities indicated during the member’s debate in the Parliament on 25 May 2006 on trafficking for forced prostitution that we will ensure that Home Office ministers are made aware of the strong support expressed during that debate for the UK to sign the Convention Against Trafficking in Human Beings.

Sex Trafficking

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has about how many victims of trafficking have claimed asylum in Scotland since 1999.

Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not held centrally.

Sex Trafficking

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any role in determining the asylum status of victims of trafficking in Scotland.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive has no role in determining the asylum status of anyone, as this matter is reserved.

Sex Trafficking

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has about how many women who were deported after being rescued from trafficking in Scotland have been re-trafficked since 1999.

Hugh Henry: This information is not held centrally.

Sexual Health

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive why its Health Department’s initiative to promote postal diagnostic testing kits for Chlamydia and other sexually transmitted infections, as outlined in the sexual health strategy, is not being implemented at a local level.

Mr Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answers to questions S2W-25667 and S2W-25668 on 10 May 2006 .  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Sexual Health

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-25089 by Mr Andy Kerr on 28 April 2006, when the minutes of the National Sexual Health Advisory Committee meetings held on 24 October 2005 and 20 February 2006 will be available online.

Mr Andy Kerr: The minutes of the National Sexual Health Advisory Committee meetings held on 24 October 2005 and 20 February 2006 are now available on the sexual health website, which can be accessed at www.scotland.gov.uk/sexualhealth .

  People who do not have access to the website can obtain copies of the minutes from:

  Sexual Health Policy Team Scottish Executive Health Department Public Health and Substance Misuse Division Room 3E-North St Andrews House Regent Road Edinburgh EH1 3DG

  Telephone: 0131 244 2568 Fax: 0131 244 2866

Sexual Health

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive whether all NHS boards will submit final, fully costed service delivery plans to implement the sexual health strategy during 2006-07 before the rest of the additional funding of £10 million will be made available to them.

Mr Andy Kerr: NHS boards supplied final versions of their local inter-agency sexual health strategies for the period 2005-06 to 2007-08 by September 2005. Those strategies included expenditure plans for the period covered by the funding for the sexual health strategy. At that stage NHS boards were informed of their funding allocation for 2006-07 and 2007-08, which was necessary to allow them to implement their local plans. Boards will draw down the funding they require in the relevant year.

Sexual Health

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-25667 by Mr Andy Kerr on 10 May 2006, when the National Procurement report on the potential demand from NHS boards for postal testing kits for Chlamydia and other sexually transmitted infections will be completed.

Mr Andy Kerr: An estimation of the potential demand from NHS boards for postal testing kits for Chlamydia and other sexually transmitted infections should be completed by the end of June.

Special Educational Needs

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15630 by Peter Peacock on 15 April 2005, whether it has completed its review of Enquire and, if so, whether the findings have been published and what issues have arisen as a result of the review.

Peter Peacock: The report of the independent review, carried out by the Centre for Research in Education, Inclusion and Diversity at Edinburgh University, is being finalised. The full evaluation report will be available on the Executive website in due course.

Special Educational Needs

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15629 by Peter Peacock on 15 April 2005, how many calls have been received by Enquire in each year since its inception, broken down by local authority area and expressed also in percentage terms.

Peter Peacock: It is not possible to provide a complete answer, as many callers opt not to provide addresses or other identity details. In addition, between the inception of Enquire in November 1999 and 30 June 2005 the Enquire database did not store this information with regard to relatively straightforward calls such as requests for publications. However, since 1 July 2005, Enquire has been recording calls to their helpline using a more sophisticated database which allows inclusion of all call types. Therefore, the data for calls received in 2005-06 is provided in two parts:

  (i) calls received in Quarter 1, recorded on the original database and,

  (ii) calls received in Quarter 2-4 recorded on the new database.

  Where the callers’ details are known, the breakdown is as follows:

  

 Local Authority
1999-2002 Number
1999-2002 %
2002-03 Number
2002-03 %
2003-04 Number
2003-04 %
2004-05 Number
2004-05 %


 Aberdeen City
 67
 3.1
 57
 4.1
 84
 4.1
 67
 3.2


 Aberdeenshire
 69
 3.2
 52
 3.7
 100
 4.9
 115
 5.6


 Angus
 31
 1.4
 14
 1.0
 46
 2.3
 42
 2.0


 Argyll and Bute
 55
 2.6
 26
 1.9
 30
 1.5
 26
 1.3


 Borders
 36
 1.7
 29
 2.1
 23
 1.1
 44
 2.1


 Clackmannanshire
 42
 2.0
 26
 1.9
 33
 1.6
 13
 0.6


 Dumfries and Galloway
 55
 2.6
 26
 1.9
 30
 1.5
 61
 3.0


 Dundee City
 51
 2.4
 27
 1.9
 40
 2.0
 52
 2.5


 East Ayrshire
 30
 1.4
 20
 1.4
 28
 1.4
 15
 0.7


 East Dunbartonshire
 33
 1.5
 11
 0.8
 24
 1.2
 50
 2.4


 East Lothian
 47
 2.2
 26
 1.9
 42
 2.1
 33
 1.6


 East Renfrewshire
 21
 1.0
 21
 1.5
 9
 0.4
 19
 0.9


 Edinburgh
 316
 14.7
 199
 14.2
 293
 14.4
 225
 10.9


 Falkirk
 93
 4.3
 52
 3.7
 88
 4.3
 80
 3.9


 Fife
 103
 4.8
 55
 3.9
 86
 4.2
 105
 5.1


 Glasgow
 218
 10.2
 196
 14.0
 257
 12.6
 243
 11.8


 Highland
 133
 6.2
 95
 6.8
 73
 3.6
 125
 6.1


 Inverclyde
 15
 0.7
 18
 1.3
 18
 0.9
 16
 0.8


 Midlothian
 25
 1.2
 20
 1.4
 34
 1.7
 32
 1.6


 Moray
 40
 1.9
 17
 1.2
 12
 0.6
 37
 1.8


 North Ayrshire
 28
 1.3
 23
 1.6
 29
 1.4
 26
 1.3


 North Lanarkshire
 66
 3.1
 30
 2.1
 74
 3.6
 70
 3.4


 Orkney
 13
 0.6
 4
 0.3
 25
 1.2
 9
 0.4


 Perth and Kinross
 84
 3.9
 54
 3.8
 102
 5.0
 69
 3.3


 Renfrewshire
 35
 1.6
 28
 2.0
 51
 2.5
 53
 2.6


 Shetland
 10
 0.5
 2
 0.1
 11
 0.5
 10
 0.5


 South Ayrshire
 38
 1.8
 33
 2.4
 25
 1.2
 26
 1.3


 South Lanarkshire
 70
 3.3
 43
 3.1
 45
 2.2
 56
 2.7


 Stirling
 56
 2.6
 30
 2.1
 38
 1.9
 43
 2.1


 West Dunbartonshire
 34
 1.6
 39
 2.8
 27
 1.3
 13
 0.6


 West Lothian
 79
 3.7
 54
 3.8
 67
 3.3
 82
 4.0


 Western Isles
 21
 1.0
 5
 0.4
 7
 0.3
 13
 0.6


 National
 8
 0.4
 8
 0.6
 3
 0.1
 9
 0.4


 Outside Scotland
 43
 2.0
 20
 1.4
 47
 2.3
 34
 1.6


 Not recorded
 0
 0.0
 1
 0.1
 45
 2.2
 61
 3.0


 Unknown
 80
 3.7
 43
 3.1
 86
 4.2
 88
 4.3


 Total
 2,145
 
 1,404
 
 2,032
 
 2,062
 



  New Database Figures for 2005-06

  

 Local Authority
2005-06
Q1 Number
2005-06
Q1 %
2005-06
Q2-Q4 Number
2005-06
Q2-Q4 %


 Aberdeen City
 12
 2.9
 82
 3.7


 Aberdeenshire
 23
 5.6
 94
 4.2


 Angus
 8
 2.0
 50
 2.2


 Argyll and Bute
 1
 0.2
 35
 1.6


 Borders
 12
 2.9
 52
 2.3


 Clackmannanshire
 1
 0.2
 5
 0.2


 Dumfries and Galloway
 5
 1.2
 55
 2.5


 Dundee City
 16
 3.9
 40
 1.8


 East Ayrshire
 0
 0.0
 16
 0.7


 East Dunbartonshire
 8
 2.0
 40
 1.8


 East Lothian
 5
 1.2
 31
 1.4


 East Renfrewshire
 6
 1.5
 13
 0.6


 Edinburgh
 52
 12.7
 259
 11.6


 Falkirk
 17
 4.2
 45
 2.0


 Fife
 32
 7.8
 110
 4.9


 Glasgow
 56
 13.7
 206
 9.2


 Highland
 32
 7.8
 60
 2.7


 Inverclyde
 1
 0.2
 29
 1.3


 Midlothian
 9
 2.2
 26
 1.2


 Moray
 1
 0.2
 36
 1.6


 North Ayrshire
 1
 0.2
 29
 1.3


 North Lanarkshire
 16
 3.9
 101
 4.5


 Orkney
 2
 0.5
 2
 0.1


 Perth and Kinross
 20
 4.9
 49
 2.2


 Renfrewshire
 6
 1.5
 38
 1.7


 Shetland
 2
 0.5
 17
 0.8


 South Ayrshire
 7
 1.7
 47
 2.1


 South Lanarkshire
 15
 3.7
 59
 2.6


 Stirling
 5
 1.2
 41
 1.8


 West Dunbartonshire
 8
 2.0
 20
 0.9


 West Lothian
 14
 3.4
 46
 2.1


 Western Isles
 1
 0.2
 13
 0.6


 National
 0
 0.0
 0
 0.0


 Outside Scotland
 5
 1.2
 57
 2.6


 Not recorded
 6
 1.5
 71
 3.2


 Unknown
 3
 0.7
 355
 15.9


 
 408
 
 2,229

Special Educational Needs

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15096 by Peter Peacock on 19 March 2005, how much funding Enquire has received in each year since its inception and how much it is projected to receive in future.

Peter Peacock: Enquire were awarded (a) £261,586 in 1999-2000; (b) £181,387 in 2000-01; (c) £177,479 in 2001-02; (d) £254,421 in 2002-03 (e) £321,963 in 2003-04 (f) £367,361 in 2004-05 (g) £326,951 in 2005-06. The agreed grant for 2006-07 is £309,321. No decisions have been taken on funding beyond 2006-07.

Sport

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-26022 by Patricia Ferguson on 1 June 2006, when  sportscotland will publish statistics on participation for the period up to 2005.

Patricia Ferguson: Data on participation for the period 2003 to 2005 is at present subject to analysis by  sportscotland. The final figures will be released and published on www.sportscotland.org.uk once the final analysis has been completed  sportscotland hope to publish this information during summer 2006.

Teachers

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the McCrone agreement should be reviewed in light of concerns raised by teachers in respect of increased workload.

Peter Peacock: The agreement is kept under review through the work of the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT).

  The teachers Agreement has recently been subject to scrutiny by Audit Scotland. A further study by HMIE will report later in 2006.

  We therefore do not consider any further review to be necessary.

Wildlife

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has given to competent authorities in respect of the appropriateness of taking the opinion of the general public when carrying out an appropriate assessment of the implications of a plan or project for the integrity of European wildlife sites under the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994.

Rhona Brankin: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-26370 on 8 June 2006.The decision whether or not to take the opinion of the general public in any particular circumstance is one for the relevant competent authority.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website the search facility for which can be at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.